Construction toy



Jan. 20, 1931. A. c. GILBERT 9,8

' CONSTRUCTION TOY Original Filed Dec. 22. 1927 Original application filed December having a plurality of detachable elements which are adapted for assembly with each other in a variety of ways to form various Patented Jan. 20, 1931 UNITED S AT-Es PATENT. oFFicE ALFRED C. GILBERT, F HAMDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGll'OR.LTO..THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND oonsrnoetrioiv 'roY' This invention. relates to construction toys toy models andmechanisms. I

More particularly this invention relates to; a novel form of canistructure, which is purpose of instruction and entertainment. A toy in which the novel form of cam strucadapted for use in combination with'other toy elements to form toys operable to simulate actual mechanical movements for the ture of this invention may be used, is illustrated and described in detail in a copending application, Serial No. 241,837, filed December 22, 1927, of whiclrthis applicatioiris a division. I

thereof may be used for other purposes in combination with other. toy elements.

To these and other ends, theinvention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsf Fig. l is a side elevation of a construction toy model embodyingthe features of this invention Fig. 2 is a section on line -22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the upper struc ture of the model toy;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 414 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig 3;'

Fig. 6 is a section through the novel form of cam element, and its associated parts.

The particular model or device selected to illustrate the novel features of this inven-', tion, comprises a structure composed of a plurality of toy elements assembled in such a manner as to simulate in form and operation a box-making machine. This toy, which is more specifically described in the above One object of this invention is to provide a toy elementfor a construction toy which will 22, 1927, Serial No. 241,837. Divided. and this application files Decemher 1928. sem No. 327,837.

mentioned copending application, may be mounted upon a suitable base by any suitable meanswhich pass through perforations in the supporting members of the toy.

End members, each comprising toy elements 13,"form the supports andthe main parts of: the frame-work for the toy illustrated. The side plates arefof sheet metal and are provided with foot portions 141 The supports 13 areprovided with aplurality, of series of longitudinally and transversely spaced apart perforations, the. spacing of which is according to a predetermined standard. To the foot portion 1 1 of each plate an angle-toy element 15 is secured by meansof a bolt 16. r

The supporting members are secured-together in spaced apart relation by means of perforated angle strips 17 Two of the strips 17 extend 'across'the top and'two acrossthe bottom of the toy, firmly securing the supportingjmembers together.. The angle strips 17 are provided with spaced apart perforations, and are secured to the supporting members by means of bolts 18, which pass through corresponding perforations in each part.

A perforated plate 19 extends across the toy between the supporting members 13, and is secured at each end thereof to the lower pair of strips l7, by means of bolts 20, which pass through corresponding perforations in each part. An'angle strip 21 also extends across the toy and is bolted to the lower strip 17 by bolts 22, which pass through corresponding perforations in each'part.

Mountedupon this lowersti'uctureis an upper structure which is supported by uprights comprising perforated strips 23, to the upper ends of'which are secured in spaced apart relation a pair of side plates 2-1 and 25. This upper structure is adapted to support a vertically slidable element 26, to which is secured one end of a lever 27 which is pivoted at 28to the side plate Toy elements 29 are secured to'the other end of the lever 27 to simulate .a counter-weight. A portion of the upper structure overhangs the lower structure. r

Intermediate theends of the lever 27 and adjacent its pivot 28 a cam follower 30 is provided which, in this instance, comprises a short screw which passes through a perforation in the lever 27 and is secured thereto by a nut 31. The follower 30 projects inwardly substantially at right angles to the lever 27, toward and into a groove 32, provided in a toy camming element simulating a'dru'm cam, which is disposed intermediate the plates 24 and 25. The toy camming element, by means of screw clamp bushings 33, is secured to a vertically disposed rotatable shaft 34, and comprises a cylindrical body having a cam groove 32, disposed about its periphery. In the present instance, the cylindrical body is formed by two identically formed cup-shaped members and 36, each having a screwclamp bushing 33 disposed axially thereof and secured upon a bottom'portion 37 of'each. By the use of screw clamp bushings either member 35 or 36 may be moved aiii'a lly upon its supporting shaft to adjust these members relatively to each other to vary the slot 32 7 formed therebetween.

tom portion 37 of thecup-shaped members,

as illustrated in the drawings, formed partly by the material of these members and partly by a disk 38, whichis'sec'uredto'the members by bolts 39; In this instance, the

bushings 33 are permanently secured tot'he disks 38 by riveting over a-portionthereof.

The shaft 34 extendsdownwardly andis journaled in a perforation in the strip 21. A clamp member 40 is secured 'to the lower end of shaft 34 and rests upon the upper surface of the strip 21, to retain the shaft against downward movement. A clamp member-'41 is secured to the shaft below'and engages the under-surface of the base 1'iortion'42of an inverted U-shaped bracket.43, mounted between the uprights 23, to retain the shaft34 against upward movement,the shaft 34 passing through a perforation provided in the base portion 42. I g

A gear 44 is secured to the shaft 34, the teeth of which mesh with a worm'45 secured to a horizontally disposed shaft 46. The shaft 46 extends between the end supporting members 13, and may-be journaled incorresponding perforations therein or in corresponding perforations in short perforated strips 47, secured to these'end members. A gear 48 is secured upon the shaft "46 at the end thereof, remote from the worm 45, and meshes with-a-pinion 49, secured upon another horizontally disposed shaft '50. The

shaft 50 extends between'the end members 13, being journaled in corresponding perforations therein. The outer end of the shaft 50 extends beyond one of the supporting members 13 and has a pulley 51 mounted there0n,fwhich adapted to receive a belt from any suitable power source, such as a toy"el'ectric motor, to be driven thereby.

Rotation of the pulley wheel5l, through lower end of said member into engagement with an opposing plate member 53, which is secured to the upper end of a 'slidab'le member 54, and forces it downwardly against the action of a spring 55. The

spring 55, by being secured to a pivoted lever 56, which in turn is secured to the slidable member 54, tends to retain the plate member 53 in its "upper position. As more fully described in the above mentioned copending application, the cooperating movements of the plate members 52 and 53 simulate the operations of corresponding -parts offa box-forming machine. I I I The novel form ofcainmmg member described above is of such construction that it maybe iis'ed 'as a toy element *ofa construction toy 'for'other purposes than the "speeific use described above. By the use of such a 'camming member to mechanisms 'or' models'formed by the'coin ination ofd'et'acha'ble toy elementsm'ay be'made 'to simulate actual mechanical moveine'nts for instruction and entertainment.

WVhile I have sho'wifand'de'scribed a pre-'- fen-ed embodiment of my invention, itis-"to be understood that the same is not to-be limited thereto in all of its-details, but is capable of modification and variation which will lie withinthe slairitbfthe invention and the scope of the appended claims.

1. '21 construction 'toy,"co'mprising .a" plurality of separable elements, adaptedfonassembly in various forms 'of'toys', two'of said elements 'bei ng spac'ed apart to 'forin end members, other o'fsaid "elements "secured thereto to form a lower supporting f'rame, a

vertically ,niovab'le part supported by said lower frame, other of said "e'lemcnts mounted first mentionedmovable"part, and' ineans to moveo'neo'f said parts toward the otherjcomprising a rotatable camming member and a lever pivotally connected at one endof one of said movable parts, said lever being engaged and operated by said camming mem- )81' to raise and lower the part connected thereto. 1

2. A construction toy, comprising a plurality of separable elements, adapted for assembly in various forms of toys,'two of said elements being spaced apart to form end members, other of said elements secured thereto to form a lower supportingframe, a vertically movable part supported by said lower frame, other of said elements mounted on said lower frame to form an upper frame having a portion overhanging said lower frame, avertically movable part supported by said overhanging portion of said upper frame in vertical alignment with said first mentioned movable part, and means to move one of said parts into engagement with the other part to move the same, comprising a rotatable camming member and a lever pivotally connected at one end to one of said movable parts, said lever being engaged and operated by said camming member to raise and lower the part connected thereto, and

means to return the engaged part into its initial position. j

3. A construction toy comprising a plurality of separable elements adapted for assembly in various forms of toys, a lower supporting frame, a vertically movable part supported by said. lower frame, an upper frame, a vertically movable part supported by said upper framein vertical'alignment with said first mentioned movable part, and means to move one of saidparts toward the other comprising a rotatable camming member, and a lever pivotally connected at one end to one of, said movable parts, said lever being engaged and operated by said camining member to raise and lower the part connected thereto.

4. A construction toy comprising a plurality of separable elements adapted for assembly in various forms of toys, a lower supporting frame, a vertically movable part supported by said lower frame, an upper frame, a vertically movable part supported by said upper frame in vertical alignment with said first mentioned movable part, and means to move one of said vertical movable parts into engagement with the other to move the same, comprising a rotatable cannning member, and a lever pivotally connected at one end to one of said movable parts, said lever being en aged and operated by said camming member to raise and lower the part connected thereto, and means to return the engaged part into its initial position.

A construction toy comprising a plurality of separable elements adapted for asscmbly in various forms of toys, a lower supporting frame, a vertically movable part supported by said lower frame, an upper frame, a vertically movable part supported by said upper frame in vertical alignment with said first mentioned movable part, and a cam member comprising a pair of identica l'ly formed cup-shaped elements each having a substantially flat bottom, and a periplr erally extending side wall disposed substan tially at right angles to said bottom, said side wall extending axially from said bottom and having its free outer edge disposed at an angle to the plane of said bottom, said I 

